PMS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers | The Location of Pakistan and its Physical Features with Advantages and Disadvantages
The following question of PMS Pakistan Affairs 2022 is solved by Miss Iqra Ali, the best Pakistan Affairs Coach, on the guided pattern of Sir Syed Kazim Ali, which he taught to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.

Question Breakdown
In this question, first we have to shed light on the physical features of Pakistan’s territory. Then we need to explain the advantages and disadvantages attached to the geography of Pakistan.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-A glance at the Physical Features of Pakistan
- ✓ Landforms
- ✓ Water Bodies
- ✓ Varying Climates
- ✓ Natural Resources
- ✓ Vegetation and Forests
3-What are the advantages attached to the geography of Pakistan
- ✓ Strategic location
- ✓ Defense and Security
- ✓ A Friendly and Economically Powerful Neighbor on the northern border of Pakistan
- ✓ Tourism Potential
- ✓ Supports various type of farming
- ✓ Minerals and Energy
4-What are the disadvantages attached to the geography of Pakistan
- ✓ Terrorism and porous border with Afghanistan
- ✓ Shadow of a much bigger and hostile neighbour
- ✓ Natural disasters
- ✓ Dependence on Transborder water sources
- ✓ Glacial melt
- ✓ Difficult Terrain for infrastructure Development
5-Conclusion

Answer to the Question
Introduction
A state’s strategic worth is characterized by its geography. The physical features bestowed on a country determine a lot about its strengths and weaknesses. Just like all other nations, Pakistan calculates its strategic standing on the basis of its physical features, blessed on its territory. Nature has gifted Pakistan with different landforms, ranging from plains to mountains to deserts to plateaus; water bodies, ranging from Indus to Kabul River and Chenab to Gomal River; and varying climates, ranging from rough arid desert to alpine conditions. These advantages have compelled Stephen Philip to admit: “While history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been its greatest benefit. It has a resource-rich area in the north-west, people rich in the northeast”. However, there are a few shortcomings owing to the country’s geography and location. Some of the faults are in the form of frequent natural disasters in some areas, climate change leading to glacial melts, and reliance on trans-border water bodies. In short, Pakistan has a distinctive geography offering both benefits and drawbacks to its territory.
A Glance at the Physical Features of Pakistan
- Landforms
Pakistan’s landforms are comprised of mountains, plateaus, plains, and deserts. Talking about mountains, Pakistan, on its northeastern side, hosts the highest mountains of the world, known as the “Himalayas,” comprising several ranges, including Siwalik, Peer Pinjal, Central Himalaya and Karakoram range, comprising the world’s second tallest mountain, known as Mount Godwin Austin (K-2). Similarly, on the north-western side, it comprises low altitude mountains with a series of parallel ranges, such as Hind Kush, Koh-e-Safed, Waziristan hills, Suleman and Kerther range. Moreover, the plains comprise the Upper Indus Plains, covering most of the Punjab; the Lower Indus Plain, covering an expansive area of Sindh; and the Indus Delta, covering areas after Thatta, Sindh, to the beginning of the Arabian Sea. Furthermore, the plateaus comprise the Salt Range, Potwar Plateau, and Balochistan Plateau. Finally, the deserts also form an important chunk of the territory of Pakistan and are named the Cholistan Desert, Thal Desert, and Nara and Tharparkar Desert. In short, Pakistan has a wide array of landforms, from plains to hills and deserts to plateaus.
- Water Bodies
Pakistan has a good river system known as the Indus water system, supplying water for irrigation for most of Pakistan. It is made of Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum river. There are also several other rivers, like the Kabul River originating from Afghanistan, the Swat River, and the Gomal River, which fulfil the water needs of the KP province. Moreover, the country also has a number of lakes, like Manchar Lake, Keenjhar Lake, and Haleji Lake, which fulfil the water needs of the country, apart from fishing and other activities linked to the water bodies. Moreover, the country has the Arabian Sea in its South, which supports maritime trade and fishing industry, apart from the potential for offshore oil and gas exploration. All these water bodies together fulfil the water demands of the country in the form of irrigation, drinking, electricity generation, and fishing. Apart from these water bodies, Pakistan has some of the world’s greatest glaciers in its territorial limits, like the Siachen Glacier, Baltoro Glacier, and Hispar Glacier.
- Varying Climates
Pakistan has a climate that ranges from rough, arid deserts to alpine conditions due to its diverse topography. It has arid to semi-arid areas, like Sindh, Balochistan and parts of Punjab. These areas face high temperatures during the summers and, in some areas, little to no rain. Similarly, the northern areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of KPK province face mild temperatures during the summer and winters with low temperatures and heavy rain along with snowfalls. Similarly, coastal areas, primarily Karachi and parts of Balochistan, have coastal maritime climates characterized by hot and humid climates during summers to mild winters.
- Natural Resources
Pakistan is blessed with many precious minerals in the form of gemstones, coal, copper, iron ore, limestone, and salt. It is also home to some large natural gas fields in Balochistan and Sindh, along with oil reserves in Punjab and Sindh, though they are not sufficient to meet domestic demands. Due to the resources like limestone and marble, Pakistan earns a lot in foreign exchange by exporting cement and marble. The Rekodiq area in Balochistan is home to one of the largest underdeveloped reservoirs of gold and copper. Pakistan has similarly vast coal reserves, particularly in the Thar Desert, which contains one of the world’s largest lignite coal reserves, estimated at over 175 billion tons. So, the country is blessed with significant mineral resources, which have the potential to transform Pakistan into a prosperous nation, though a major portion of resources are still unexplored.
- Vegetation and Forests
Pakistan’s arable lands cover a wide variety of forests and crops. Pakistan’s forests cover an area of 4.8% of the total land area, though it is far less than the global standard of 25%. Similarly, its agricultural land accounts for 47% of the total land, higher than the global average of 38%. Talking about the forests, Pakistan hosts alpine to semi-alpine trees to deodar trees in areas of Gilgit & Baltistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir, and areas of KP province. It also hosts sub-tropical scrub forests and tropical thorn forests in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Potohar Plateau and in regions of Punjab and Sindh, respectively. Moreover, the mangrove forests on the coastal lands of Karachi and Makran area are not an exception. Each of these present different benefits, apart from just covering the area. Moreover, due to rich arable lands, especially in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan is also rich in agricultural production, with crops ranging from food crops, such as wheat, maize, barley, etc., to cash crops, including cotton, sugarcane and tobacco, contributing to the country’s food security and exports, as well. In short, Pakistan is covered with significant vegetation and forests that help the country with different potentials.

What are the advantages attached to the physical features of Pakistan
- Strategic location
Pakistan’s location is one of nature’s blessings as the country sits right at the crossroads of South Asia, Middle East, and Central Asia, which makes it a vital transit route for trade, energy pipelines and regional cooperation. Moreover, its proximity to regional and global powers, like China, India, Iran and Afghanistan, makes its position unique and full of strategic and economic benefits. Additionally, it increases prospects in terms of diplomacy as it played its role in the US-China rapprochement in the seventies and trade routes, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Moreover, with access to the Arabian Sea, the country enjoys the benefits arising from maritime trade, which are substantial for its progress and prosperity. In short, the geostrategic location of Pakistan offers prospects for regional trade, energy corridors and strategic partnerships that emphasize Pakistan’s location.
- Defence and Security
From a security point of view, Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges- Himalaya and Karakoram- act as a natural barrier to any invasion from this side. Though Pakistan does not see any threat in current times, it gives an advantage to the country by enabling it to divert manpower and resources to border with India or Afghanistan. It also helps the country to accentuate its forces on its eastern border, and western border, where they are excessively required and reduce the deployment to necessary levels, where they are not immediately needed, like the northern side of Pakistan. In a nutshell, the location of Pakistan offers a natural defensive barrier to the State from the northern side.
- A Friendly and Economically Powerful Neighbor on the northern border of Pakistan
Pakistan has been blessed by its geography as it has a friendly neighbour, China, on its northern side. China has a long history of friendly relations with Pakistan. Both countries have signed various agreements on free trade, defence cooperation, economic development, and regional connectivity. China has always stood with Pakistan in times of need and crisis, may it be the 1965 war, the 1971 war, an earthquake of 2005, or floods of 2010, or the flash floods of 2022. China Pakistan Economic Corridor is one such example of deep cooperation between the two neighbors. The massive project covers projects on infrastructure development, energy security, industrial development, and human development. Additionally, both states’ military cooperation is evident from the joint JF-17 Thunder jet manufacturing project, with Pakistan’s Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Cooperation jointly taking part in its production. Similarly, Pakistan’s ballistic and cruise missile programs have benefited a lot from China’s technical assistance. In short, Pakistan’s geographic location close to China is an important advantage that has greatly assisted Pakistan.
- Tourism Potential
Pakistan has a huge potential in the tourism industry due to the God-gifted picturesque valleys, such as the Hunza Valley, Swat Valley, and Kaghan Valley; high mountain peaks, such as K2, Nanga Parbat, Trich Mir, and Takhtai Sulemani; and deserts that offer desert safaris, and jeep rallies, like the Cholistan Jeep Rally. Moreover, the beaches, like Karachi’s Clifton Beach, Gwadar’s Hammerhead Beach, and Ormara Beach, and the lakes, such as Saif-ul-Mulook, Lulusar Lake, Attabad Lake, drawing nature lovers and photographers across the world. Additionally, historical sites like the Mohenjo Daro, Harappa, Rohtas Fort, and Lahore Fort attract historians from all over the world. Further, religious sites like the Nankana Sahib, Takh-i-Bahi, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Zoroastrian Towers of Silence, and the Katas Raj temples attract religiously devoted individuals from different areas of the world. These sites not only offer prospects for making significant revenue to the state but also present prospects for building a positive image of the country outside. The high peaks attract mountaineers and climbers from all across the world, making Pakistan a hub of mountain tourism. In short, Pakistan is blessed with a good opportunity for cashing the natural beauty and architecture bestowed to it.
- Supports various types of farming
In mountainous regions of KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, terraced farming is a common practice. The steep terrain is modified into flat terraces, which are then used to grow wheat, barley, and maize. The cooler climate and abundant rainfall also help in raising fruit orchards of apples, apricots, and cherries. Moreover, the flat lands of Punjab allow for mechanized farming and intensive agriculture. The fertile lands of Punjab allow for growing wheat, rice, cotton, and sugarcane in large quantities, making Punjab the breadbasket of Pakistan. Additionally, in desert areas of Punjab and Sindh, the crops generally grown are: millets, sorghum, and pulses (Kharif season) and wheat and grams (Rabi season), which are well-suited for drought-prone areas though the overall cultivated area is small. Similarly, farmers practice agriculture in areas near the Indus River and usually grow rice, wheat, and vegetables in abundance. In addition, Balochistan, with its arid climate, supports dryland farming, which helps to grow drought-resistant crops, like wheat, barley, millet, and pulses, apart from orchards. In short, different areas of Pakistan with different climates offer a wide range of opportunities for growing varied crops, fruits and vegetables.
- Minerals and Energy
Pakistan has abundant reserves of mineral resources, like coal, copper, gold, limestone, gypsum and iron in areas of KP and Balochistan. Copper and Gold from the Riko Diq project in Balochistan offers significant potential for the country’s economy. Similarly, limestone and gypsum are necessary ingredients for Pakistan’s cement industry. Moreover, coal is considered to be the cornerstone for CPEC’s energy projects as major power plants are constructed and those planned are based on coal power. Likewise, natural gas reserves in Balochistan and Sindh fulfil the demand for the country’s gas resources. Similarly, the Potwar region, lower Indus basin, and Kohat basin have crude oil though they are not sufficient to meet the nation’s demands. So, all these minerals and energy sources reflect the benefits arising from the country’s physical features.
What are the disadvantages attached to the physical features of Pakistan
- Terrorism and the porous border with Afghanistan
The rugged mountainous area in tribal areas of KPK has provided sanctuaries to the operatives of Tehreek-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda. These banned outfits have created massive destruction and killing of thousands of innocent lives, apart from massive brutal attacks on security and law-enforcement agencies. The mountainous area makes it difficult for military operations, though the Pakistan Army has conducted large-scale operations against them. Moreover, the historic porous border with Afghanistan- whose fencing was started in 2017 and is somewhat near to completion- facilitated the cross-border movement of militants freely. Though the border fencing has given some tactical respite and reduced the number of cross-border attacks, long-term peace, stability, and security are reliant on the stability in Afghanistan and the cooperation of the people of the tribal areas of Pakistan, which is only possible by addressing their grievances.
- Shadow of a much bigger and hostile India
Pakistan’s eastern front is surrounded by a much hostile and arch-rival, India. Since the beginning of Pakistan, the country has got into many conflicts with its eastern neighbour, including the historic and long-standing Kashmir issue, the Siachen conflict and the Sir Creek dispute. All these developments have compelled Pakistan to prioritize its national security. The goal of security and deterring China through conventional and acquisition of nuclear capabilities- has resulted in an inevitable tradeoff between human development and strengthening the military. Seventy-seven years of Pakistan have passed, but the disparity crafted in the initial years of the State is still visible in human development sectors, with the country securing 164th ranking out of 193 countries in human development. So, as a result of the threat from the eastern side, the country’s hard power has constantly increased while human development falls behind.
- Natural disasters
Pakistan’s location is such that its northern areas are on fault lines, making them prone to seismic activity. While speaking to BBC, Zahid Raffaee, Director of the Seismic network of the Met Department of Pakistan, said that Pakistan has been divided into 19 zones based on active fault lines passing beneath the country, and seven out of nineteen zones, including Northern areas, Makran, Quetta region, and Pakistan administered Kashmir region. Moreover, being on the downstream side of the Indus, it is also prone to floods, which have occurred in the past, especially in 2010. So, owing to Pakistan’s natural geography, it is also vulnerable to Poor kids.
- Dependence on Transborder water sources
Pakistan also has the drawback of being dependent on water sources originating from its neighbours. Its reliance on the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum Rivers is a source of concern between Pakistan and its neighbour, India. Though these rivers are secured for Pakistan through the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), conflicts still arise over the unfairness of water distribution from the Indian side as India has established many structures over these rivers that have become a source of concern for Pakistan due to fears of reduced water flow, potential misuse, and non-compliance with the treaty’s provision. Hydro-projects, like the Baglihar Dam (Chenab River), Kishanganga Hydroelectric Power Project (Jhelum River), and Rattle Dam (Chenab River), are a few structures that have pushed Pakistan to seek recourse through diplomatic channels and arbitration by involving the World Bank, which brokered the IWT. Additionally, on the western front, the Kabul River, a substantial water source for KP, has also become a source of concern for Pakistan with the development of 5 dams on the Kabul River, and 12 projects are also planned on it and its tributaries. So, Pakistan is somewhat at a disadvantage due to its geography and its water system.
- Glacial melt as a result of Climate Changes
Though Pakistan is blessed with glaciers in its northern areas, the rise of temperatures has accelerated the melting of glaciers, like the Siachen and Batura glaciers, leading to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). These GLOFs are a source of constant threat to the people who are living near these glaciers. Moreover, the glacial retreat phenomenon risks the long-term availability of freshwater from these glaciers. In a nutshell, glaciers are a substantial amount is a blessing, but the rising temperatures have accelerated the rate of their melting, which threatens the long-term availability of water from them, along with the short-term floods they bring with them.
- Difficult Terrain for Infrastructure Development
In order to increase opportunities for tourism in northern areas and the welfare of the local population, there is a need for infrastructure development, but the difficult terrain and rugged mountains of these areas limit such endeavours. The construction of roads, bridges, and communication networks in these mountainous regions is extremely difficult, time-consuming, and costly. This raises concerns about connectivity issues and access to basic services like education and health. So, infrastructure development remains a challenge because of the terrain of these areas.
Conclusion
Pakistan enjoys a wide range of physical features, presenting opportunities and challenges at the same time. The benefits in the form of strategic location, defence and security, and tourism potential improve the strategic standing of the country, while the occurrence of natural disasters, dependence on transborder water sources, and phenomenon of glacial melts due to climate change are a sources of concern for the territory. In short, Pakistan enjoys a geographic location that brings with it a lot of advantages, along with a few pitfalls.
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